Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1887-01-12

the Speakers Stand-A Quiet Day AT
Indianapolis Two Senators To BE
Chosen-An Arkansas Incident.
TRENTON, N. j., Jan. 12-The greatest
fight that the New Jersey legislature ever
experienced took place Tuesday in the state
house. Probably nothing in the history of
any state ever equalled it. Party prejudice
and personal feeling and dislike overPowered
all courtesy and good-fellowship, and the as
sembly chamber became the scene OF most
disgraceful riot At two distinct times mob
law prevailed in the assembly, and on the
second occasion order was only restored,
after hand-to-hand fight, 10y hasty adj
journment.
The Republican assemblymen met IN the
senate chamber at II a. m, but ad journed at
noon without nominating any officers The
Labor men Joined neither caucus The Dem
ocrats held their caucus in the assembly
chamber at II. They over reached them
selves by forming combination of Hudson,
Camden and Sussex counties, aud three
dissatisfied members, Baird, from Warren;
Wolverton and Arnewine, from Hunterdon,
after expressing their disapproval, left the
caucus, and could not be persuaded to re-
turn. The caucus soon adjourned, but reaS-
sembied at : p. IN. without the disitfected
members.
Promptly at o'clock the minority assem-
bivmen presented themselves at the doors of
the chamber where the Democratic caucus
was being held and demanded entrance This
was refused, but the doors were forced, and
the assemblymen, backed by a surging crowd,
pushed into the chamber and filled it, the
galleries being also filled in an instant with
an overwhelming mass of people. All was
confusion, and the cries of the chairman,
James Beckwith, for order and to clear the
room were greeted with boots and yellS of
derision. The spectators applauded and
acted in an outrageous manner, urging the
/ minority to stay. When brief silence was
gained Mr.. Armstrong, the last speaker of
the last house, addressed the chair as 'Mr
Chairman of the Democratic caucus and
demanded by law their right to occupy their
seats, as o'clock was the time Of opening
legislation. This was denied by the chair
man, who said that the law specified only the
day, not the hour of organizing; that the
Democratic caucus was not finished, and that
they proposed to remain until they had fin
| iShed He then asked the people to retire,
| but was only laughed at A wordy battle
then followed between Armstrong aud
| Noonan, a Democrat Finally another APP
peal was made to the people, and the house
was cleared The Republicans also retired,
Then came the fun. While the Democrats
continued their caucus and were fixing up
their ticket, the Republicans got together in
the speakers room. They secured the dis
affected Democrats and two labor men
which gave them a majority, and elected
ticket, putting Baird at the head a:
speaker of the assembly. After being
sworn in, the majority effected an entranc,
to the assembly chamber and Chase Hi
escorted the newly-elected speaker, DR.
Baird. to the chair, then occupied by Chair
man Beckwith, one Of the Democrat,
caucus, which was still in session. Dr. BairC
took the seat and then began an unSeemly
struggle between Beckwith and Baird. Beck
with tried to eject Baird from the chair, bu
the new speaker was surrounded by hi
friends. who maintained him his position
IN the struggle the chair was thrown from
the platform and several members engage,
in a fist fight Three policemen sent by tn
governor tried to quell the disturbance an,
eject the members, AMI directed their atten
ton mainly to Terrence Mcdonald, the nev
sergeant-at arms. They succeeded in liftin
him from his feet and were carrying him e
ward the door when he was rescued by hi
friends.
Meanwhile the struggle on Ethe platform
was going on, but Bali DIS friends prevaile
and he kept the chair. In the midst of tn
riot, Armstrong, at the top of his voice mad
a motion to adjourn, which was somehor
carried to a vote At this moment the door
of the room were burst open, and the nearI
frantic crowd rushed in, AMI from the meT
press of the crowd the battle was stopped
During nearly all this turmoil the gallerit
were filed with peopl, who cheered the con
I batants in the arena below. The defeate
7 Democrats, now enraged. began to talk
+ loud tones and attempted to renew the col
flict. but the Republicans withdrew. foIlowe
Il by large crowds of congratulating friend
, and the assembly chamber was soon depol
q ulated
= DR. Baird said that the Democrats though
that they could get on without him in Il
/. morning. but found their mistake He WI
A highly elated. and received the congratul
L lions that poured in upon him joyously. NJ
+ Donald says that the officers who tried
eject him, the lawfully elected and swol
sergeant-st-arms, at the demand of the II
! sworn minority, viii suffer for it. The IL
/ umphant side are jubilant, and the hotel co
4 ridors were thronged with politicians Wht
the house meets again another lively time
~ expected.
The present state Of affairs makes Go
, ernor Abbetts chances very slim, and Ge
=, Sewell is very confident of success Few a
willing to venture an opinion on the stu
! ton.
10 A Democratic caucus was in session ty
IN hours Tuesday night. Great secrecy was o
{! served, and all that can be learned is that Il
il caucus adjourned and will meet again I
Baird in answer to a question as to his OPT
5 ion of the senatorial contest said: ''The
NJ have been no pledges made" He would s
IN no more, except that while he was Den
r crat, party lines were no: 50 strict now
formerly.
ii PEACE ON POGUE'S RUN.